Friday, November 14, 2008

DAVE Chadwick and Simon Garner will be back to reinforce a wobbling FC United defence as they travel to play Guiseley on Sunday (3pm).

A weakened back four put on the club's worst defensive display of the season against Cammell Laird on Wednesday night - but a fine attacking display meant they came away with a remarkable 5-5 draw.

Skipper Chadwick and Garner were suspended, and that will allow manager Karl Marginson to rest Rob Nugent for the game against the Leeds outfit, who was struggling for fitness after months of knee problems.

The game was switched to Sunday on police advice, with Leeds United playing Huddersfield in a West Yorkshire derby on Saturday.

Guiseley are second in the UniBond League premier division, with games in hand on leaders Hednesford Town, so the returning players are a big boost to Marginson.

"Those two coming back should give us the strength we were lacking at the back," said the manager.

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"If Chaddy had played on Wednesday, we would have won - I'm sure of that.

"It's no slight on Rob, because we all know what a good player he is, but it showed that he has been out for a length of time. We will be working on his fitness over the next few weeks because thankfully he had no reaction to the steroid injection in his knee.

"Going forward in the last 20 minutes we were magnificent. I told the lads at half time that if we had been 4-0 down we couldn't have had any complaints, because Cammell Laird wanted it more."

The three FC United subs changed the face of the game on Wednesday, with Senegalese new boy Papis Dieyte bossing midfield and hitting a post, Chris Baguley scoring, and Nick Robinson making one and scoring the equaliser.

All three are in Marginson's thoughts for his team tomorrow, but he says: "It's great to see three subs come on and change the game that way. They have given me a few headaches for Sunday, but I am not going to start panicking even though they are all in the frame for selection.

"Nick gives us another option up front because of his size, and the way he holds the ball. His cross for Chris Baguley's header the other night was different class, and then he showed great desire to get on the end of one himself and score the equaliser.

"Papis got a bit giddy after he hit the post from a long way out, but he has a decent left peg and was switching play nice and quickly.

"Once he adapts to the speed of the English game his strength and passing will be an asset."